Bath-mat.



E, L.LIV|NGSTON.

BATH MAT.

APPLICATION r|LEn`ocT.15,1915.

l 90, l "79. Patented July 4, 1916.

y al l Inventor;

by I r i.

- in j TED sTrEs PATENT oEEicE.

EDWAED L. LIVINGSTON, or WEs'i` ORANGE, NEW JERSEY'.

Barn-MAT.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, EDWARD L. LIvING- at West Orange, in the county of Essex .an

State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Bath-Mat, of which the followin is a specification.

his invention relates to bath mats used in a bath tub to prevent slipping; and the object of the invention is to provide a mat which will adhesively engage the bottom of a bath tub, or any surface in a manner to adhere thereto without possibility of injuring the foot of anyone stepping on the same; a further object of the invention being to provide a mat which Will be cheap to manufacture and efficient in use.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in Which- Figure 1, is a plan view of one end of a bath mat constructed in accordance with my invention; and, Fig. 2, is a transverse section ofthe same, in use, on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

In the drawing like numerals of reference refer to the same parts in each of the views.

In practice I provide a bath mat 3, Which may have rounded corners 4, With a plurality of suction cups 5, any 'number of which may be provided; and I preferably provide the mat with corrugations, or ribs 6, of any desired form, which are preferably interspersed among the suction cups 5j, and generally over the surface of the mat so that the human foot will beheld against slipping no difference Where placed on the surface of the mat.

The suction cups 5, are made integral with the mat; and are formed in the mat at the time the same is molded before `being vulcanized.- Each cup consists of a domeshaped portion 7, which projects above the plane of the body portion of the mat whereby a foot pressing on the same will substanface.' Then the slightest pressure on any ofthe dome-shaped portions 7, will cause-a h,art of the contents of the chamber 10, to

Specification of Letters Patent.

be expelled; and when pressure is Withdrawn from the dome-shaped portion the tendency of the same to assume a normal os1t1on wil] cause suction to take place etween the rib 8, and the surface of the part 11, as vvlll be clear. By causing several of the suctlon c ups to adhere to the part 11, a very substantial connection will be formed between the mat and the part 11, especially if the adhering cups which have been acted upon are distributed over the mat generally. In use, stepping on any of the adhering cups will not interfere with the holding vof the mat 1n place by the other cups which have been brought int-o engagement; and even if the cup stepped on is depressed farther than when originally depressedfto cause adhesion to take place, an additional part of the contents of the chamber 10,l of that cup will be forced out without breaking the suction of,

the other attached cups, yand when pressure 1s again released from that cup adhesion will be even more firmly established than before, as wlll be clear. j

.By making the suction cups 5, integral with the mat there is nothing to injure the foot as there is nothing harsh on which to Patented. July 4., 1916. Appncazion mea october 15, 1915. serial No. 56,013.

step. The cups can thus be generally distributed over the entire mat *without interfermg W1th the pleasure of. using the same,

' and during use cups may be brought into adhesive connection with the bottom of the bath tub by pressure exerted thereon which were not acted upon in the first instance.

It will thus'be seen that I have 4provided a bath mat in which provision has been made to connectthe same adhesively to the bottom of a bath tub Without rendering the mat in any Ways, objectionable owing to the fact that the suction cups are present as there is no possibility of the same injuring the foot, or any part of the body of the person using the mat.

In use, a single cup has been found suiclent to hold the mat in place; but it will be understood that the more cups brought into action the more rmly will the mat be held; and as the cups can be stepped upon without injury to the foot, or 4even of detrimentally feeling the same, the distributionof the cups over the mat makes it easier to attach the same to the bottom of a bath tub as there is no necessity of feeling for a particular cup. As the mat is trod upon, or

even pressed down by the body, the cups will be brought into action.

By the construction shown a very strong connection is made between the mat and the floor of the tub. ln found that this connection is so strong that the mat can not be slid along the floor of the tub after even one of the cups has been attached Without using considerable force. At the same time, it is easy to remove the mat by pulling upward on one end of the same even if all the oups have been attached.

The cups as formed not only do not render the mat objectionable to tread upon, or rest upon in use, but even lighten the mat as in use the rubber Will be compressed even thinner on the dome-shaped portion than in the body of the mat. rlhus the more generally the cups are used the lighter will be the mat, as Will be clear.

- The mat is simple in construction, corn- 2. A bath mat having an integral attaching,-

cup a part of which extends above the plane of the mat and forms a partof ,the surface practice it has been maarre the plane of the mat and forms a part of the upper surface thereof, and an annular portion Which projects below the plane of the mat whereby a bhamber is formed. through said mat, for thepurpose set forth.

4f. As an article of manufacture, a bath f mat having an integral attaching cup at various points, each cup having a part which extends above the plane of the body of the mat and forms a part of the surface thereof, and a part Which extends below the plane of the rnat body in the form of a continuous rib thereby forming an inclosure and a support for the mat, `said mat having ribs on the upper surface thereof intervening be tween said cups, for the purpose set forth.

5, As an article of manufacture, a bath mat having a plurality of vattaching cups each-of which has a dome-shaped. portion rising above the plane of the mat and forining a part of the surface thereof, and an annular rib on which the mat rests, said mat having ribs intervening between said cups, for the purpose set forth.

Dated this 14th day of ctober, 1915.

EDWARD L. LlIVlNGS'lFUN. 

